I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 89

Became the King of the Crusades – Episode 89

Everything in Rome Has a Price (4)

* * *

Verona

A stone wall came into view.

Carriages and flocks of sheep moved back and forth in front of the wall.

The city was ridiculously small compared to Jerusalem.

Compared to Constantinople….

It felt like a hole-in-the-wall shop next to a department store.

‘Is the Pope staying here?’ you wondered.

The head of the Western Latin Church.

The successor of Saint Peter, who holds the keys to heaven.

Tension was palpable around us.

উইগ [Wig], Aig, and a few escort knights were with me.

As we approached the wall, the gate opened with a thud.

A group of people rushed out.

Most of them were armed soldiers.

There were knights in chain mail, too.

‘I guess the Swiss Guard uniform hadn’t been created yet,’ you mused. ‘That would have been pretty cool, too.’

You could feel that they were very nervous as well.

The shepherds and merchants must have sensed the unusual atmosphere, as they hurried inside the walls.

The group that came out of the city stood in front of us, as if to block our path.

“We should send a scout first. The atmosphere is unusual,” উইগ said.

You shook your head.

“That would be the same as telling them we’re scared. The die has already been cast.”

Now it was time for the ‘big one’ to step up.

You raised your hand and signaled.

A simple gesture.

“Raise the True Cross!”

The knights and servants in the carriage pulled the rope.

The rope tightened, and the True Cross was raised.

The True Cross, on which Christ is said to have been crucified.

‘Is that real?’ you wondered, staring at the True Cross.

Was Helena, Constantine’s mother, the first person to find that?

After that, the True Cross, which had been lost and recovered repeatedly, was recovered by the Crusaders when they recaptured Jerusalem.

But there was also a piece of the True Cross in Constantinople.

‘If you collect all the ‘self-proclaimed’ pieces of the True Cross scattered around the world, it would be enough for several trees,’ you thought wryly.

Well, it doesn’t matter whether it’s real or not.

The important thing is that this True Cross came from the holy city of Jerusalem.

That alone was enough to command authority.

‘In the game, just having it gave a morale buff to all the troops,’ you recalled.

You nudged Bult with your legs, signaling him to move forward.

We marched towards the city with the cross in front.

No one tried to stop us anymore.

A sense of awe permeated the air.

You could feel the awe spreading among the people.

“It’s the scent of the Lord! This is the scent of the Lord!” people exclaimed.

People knelt down whenever the True Cross passed by.

There were quite a few who recited prayers.

‘I guess they don’t have the guts to kick out the True Cross,’ you thought.

The nobles also bowed their heads.

They wore slightly different clothes from each other.

They must be from each of the Lombardy cities.

“Greetings to Prince Baldwin of the Holy Kingdom of Jerusalem,” a clergyman in a priest’s robe approached.

“His Holiness the Pope is waiting for you. Please come this way.”

We followed his guidance.

The Pope was in the very center of the group, riding a white horse.

A pointed hat adorned his head.

Not a fancy papal crown yet.

The clothes embroidered with gold thread looked like they were seeing a king.

‘What exactly was the procedure?’ you wondered.

You dismounted Bult and approached the Pope.

There was only silence around.

The sound of birds chirping in the distant forest could be heard.

The tradition was to grab the stirrup of the Pope’s horse and follow him into the city.

Just as you were about to grab the stirrup, the Pope gestured.

A signal to get off the horse.

‘Was I wrong?’ you wondered.

It didn’t seem like it, judging by the reactions around you.

Everyone looked surprised.

You supported the Pope and helped him down from the horse.

‘Let’s do it naturally. Naturally,’ you thought. ‘What could be funnier than accidentally tripping the Pope?’

You shook your head, imagining the Pope rolling around on the ground.

Now it was time to take off your cloak and kneel before him.

“Welcome, son of the Church of Christ,” the Pope said.

The Pope hugged your head and kissed you.

A kiss of peace.

You barely managed to hold back from frowning.

‘I’m still not used to kissing a man,’ you thought.

“Greetings to His Holiness Pope Lucio, successor of Saint Peter.”

“Prince Baldwin of the Holy Kingdom of Jerusalem, I have been waiting a long time for you to come to Italy,” he said in a soft tone.

A tone like a father treating his beloved son.

“I have heard many stories about the Prince from Archbishop Heraclius. All of them were good stories. The Prince’s glorious name is widely known here in Europe.”

You bowed your head instead of answering.

The Pope’s emotions were calm.

A feeling like looking at a calm lake, just like Baldwin IV.

‘I guess you have to be this good to become Pope,’ you thought.

You looked at him.

The Roman Pope.

The Pope of this era was a saint of a religion and a secular ruler at the same time.

A man who walks a tightrope with the kings and nobles of Europe, engaging in a war of nerves, and has more powerful influence than anyone else.

The Pope’s means were not only religion.

Political intrigue was basic, and even assassination, murder, and forgery were tools in his arsenal.

‘The document that Emperor Constantine presented the Lateran Palace to the Roman Archbishop was also forged,’ you recalled.

The ‘Papal Primacy’ that the Roman Church was superior to the dioceses of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem.

In fact, it was the Roman Papacy itself that granted this power.

The current power and authority created legitimacy that continues from the past.

“I also owe a lot to Patriarch Heraclius. The same goes for His Holiness the Pope,” you said.

You had to say this much to get the Knights Templar sorted out.

“It’s all the Lord’s will,” Pope Lucio smiled and got on his horse.

You grabbed his saddle and walked beside him.

Everyone around stepped aside and cleared the way.

“I heard that the Prince was on friendly terms with Emperor Frederick’s delegation. Is that really true?” the Pope said.

A tone that was difficult to read emotions.

You couldn’t feel anything special even with your intuition.

‘Did he suspect me after all?’ you wondered.

“I just had some conversations with the delegation,” you said.

What Baldwin IV had said to you came to mind.

“The important thing is action. I crossed the sea to come here to protect His Holiness and Rome,” you said.

“If I were on the Emperor’s side, I wouldn’t have taken the risk to come here….”

“You wouldn’t have. I know what the Prince is trying to say. It’s not easy to cross the sea with a large army.”

“….”

As we entered the city, the cheers of the citizens could be heard.

They all came to the True Cross and knelt down.

Bells rang from churches all over the city, and the ‘Te Deum’ [a hymn of praise] resounded.

‘I guess they’re well prepared,’ you thought.

“The cities of Lombardy were not happy with the Prince. They said that the Prince came to Italy with other intentions,” the Pope looked at you and said.

“But I believe in the Prince, the son of Christ and blessed by the Archangel. The Prince is the only one fit to take command of the Lombard League.”

“As long as I am here, the Emperor’s army will not be able to lay a finger on His Holiness,” you bowed your head and replied.

He wouldn’t be giving you this gift simply because he trusted you.

You brought the largest army in the city.

A new force to check the cities of Lombardy.

‘He’s already thinking of using me,’ you realized.

‘But I didn’t care. I was going to use him anyway.’

The atmosphere of the conversation was subtle.

It was more like haggling over prices in the market than stabbing each other in the back.

“I am very relieved that the Prince has promised that.”

“But there is one thing I am worried about. Now that the Saracens are tightening their grip on the Holy City of Jerusalem, keeping the army in Italy for a long time like this….”

You trailed off.

What you were trying to say was simple.

‘If you want to use me, give me compensation.’

“Our Roman Papacy and the Western Church have been providing all support for the protection of the Holy Land. This Knights Templar case was also a sacrifice for the cause,” he smiled and replied.

This also meant simply: ‘We helped you with the Knights Templar, so what else do you want?’

“But what is difficult and regrettable if it is for the protection of the Holy Land? Please feel free to tell me if you need anything.”

“What Jerusalem needs now is more immigrants and a new crusade.”

“If it’s immigrants, there will already be pilgrims, right?”

“Most of the current pilgrims return to their hometowns after visiting the Holy Land.”

The same goes for armed pilgrimages called crusades.

Most of the knights and pilgrims left the Levant after arriving in Jerusalem.

Very few of them settle down.

There are no Latins.

That meant there were fewer soldiers to conscript.

“New privileges must be given to those who settle and live in Jerusalem,” you said.

Not only money but also religious privileges.

“What if the time their family spends in purgatory could be reduced by the amount of time they lived and served in Jerusalem?”

In fact, this was one of the policies that could be selected in the game.

‘Reduce the time that dead family members suffer in purgatory by the amount of time they have settled and lived there!’

This greatly increased the number of immigrants.

“Changing doctrine is not an easy decision to make,” the Pope said.

A soft smile that didn’t waver in the slightest.

“Let’s watch how the situation related to the Emperor unfolds first. It won’t be too late to discuss the affairs of the Holy Land after that.”

He’s telling you to deal with the Emperor first before getting compensation.

You nodded.

“Of course, Your Holiness.”

“The Roman Church is also making every effort for the Third Crusade. But the situation in Europe right now is too chaotic.”

“I’ve heard about it roughly,” you smiled and replied.

Around this time, Henry II’s sons, Henry, Geoffrey, and Richard, must be fighting each other.

King Philip II of France must be instigating them from the side.

One of the reasons you came to Europe was to stop that.

“To solve that, we must first defeat Emperor Frederick.”

* * *

“Guido, you rascal! You’ve become more manly than the last time I saw you!”

“Lord উইগ is still walking well. I thought you would be tired now that you are old.”

“That cheeky mouth is still the same. Let’s see!” উইগ shouted, laughing.

He introduced the man next to him to you.

“This guy is Guido. He is the Podestà [Chief Magistrate] of Ferrara.”

“It is an honor to meet you like this, Prince Baldwin,” Guido bowed.

His clothes were so dazzling and flashy at a glance.

The Eastern Roman clothes felt simple in comparison.

“I have heard many rumors about the Prince. Every one of them is a great story.”

You shook hands with him.

Guido.

‘I think I’ve heard the name before,’ you thought.

The Podestà of Ferrara.

At such a young age?

He looked like he was still in his twenties.

Brown hair and a confident expression.

It was the opposite atmosphere from Garnier.

উইগ burst out laughing again.

“I used to teach this guy swordsmanship with Garnier when I was in Italy. Back then, I never dreamed that this slick guy would become a Podestà.”

“I didn’t know either. But after fighting and winning against the Emperor once, everyone treated me like a hero,” Guido shrugged.

“They call me the hero of Legnano. I was just lucky.”

“You get that treatment because your face is fine. Even if I had made such a contribution…,” উইগ pointed to his mask.

“No one would have recognized it.”

“No one in the kingdom can ignore Lord উইগ,” you said with a smile.

The brother of Lord Balian and the strongest knight of the Lazarus Order.

Who could ignore him?

উইগ laughed again.

“Then I should take off my mask and walk around the streets next time. I’ll be lucky if I don’t get stoned by the kids.”

“Stones at a leper with a sword. Who would do such a stupid thing?” Guido also smiled and shook his head.

He put his hand on the table.

“Then let’s get down to business. I came to inform you two about the situation in Italy. There were those who did not welcome the Prince’s arrival, but…,” he shrugged.

“After today, those words will not come out anymore. It’s a pity that you didn’t see the faces of those who opposed it. It was the funniest scene in my life.”

He smiled and spewed words like a machine gun.

“The situation in Lombardy is complicated right now. Each city has different ideas. First of all, Milan and Ferrara welcomed the Prince’s arrival, and most of the other cities….”

You stuffed the following explanations into your head.

‘If I have enough information, I can solve anything,’ you thought.

Now it was time to walk the tightrope again.

A tightrope walk where your life was at stake.

* * *

In the case of relics in the Middle Ages, the authenticity could be determined by the scent emanating from the relics.

There are many descriptions of citizens smelling the scent when carrying the relics of saints into the city.

Source – Strange Middle Ages (Yoo Hee-soo) Literature and Intellectual History

Image – Gustave Doré Public Domain